CINCINNATI – The East Division dominated the day in semifinal action at the 2020 American Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship on Friday at Fifth Third Arena. UCF, the top seed from the East, defeated No. 2 seed in the West Tulane in five sets. No. 2 seed Temple from the East Division capped the minor upset against West No. 1 Houston, taking the victory in four frames.
 
UCF and Temple will face off with one another on Saturday at 3 p.m. (ET) live on ESPN+ in the conference championship match. UCF is in search of its second straight American Volleyball Championship win (third overall counting 2018 regular-season title), while Temple will make its first league championship match appearance since finishing as the runner-up of the Atlantic 10 tournament in 2005.
 
Tulane (10-10) raced out to an early lead against UCF (15-1) in the first semifinal, hitting .419 in the first set to take the advantage by a 25-19 score. The Knights battled back to take a competitive second set 25-21 thanks to a 5-0 run at the end of the frame. The Green Wave looked poised for a 2-1 match lead ahead 24-22 in the third set but UCF roared back, scoring the final four points for a 26-24 set three victory. Tulane would not be denied and forced a fifth set with a 25-22 win in the fourth period. UCF would not be denied in the fifth, clawing to a set win to take the match 19-25, 25-21, 26-24, 22-25, 15-9.
 
McKenna Melville led the way for UCF with 21 kills and 19 digs, hitting .239 in the win. Nerissa Moravec hit. 353 for the Knights and chipped in six kills and five blocks, and Anne-Marie Watson contributed 11 kills.
 
Lexie Douglas powered Tulane with 17 kills, four digs and three blocks. Mackenzie Martin turned in a double-double with 24 digs and 11 kills, and Taylor Henigsman recorded 52 assists and 11 digs.
 
In the second semifinal, Houston (13-6) got off to a roaring start against Temple (11-5) and closed the first set on a 6-0 run for a 25-18 triumph. The Owls leveled the playing field with a 25-23 win in set two to square the match at 1-1. Temple dominated the third set, emerging from the break and hitting a blistering .480 as a team to down Houston 25-14. Temple hit an equally impressive .385 in the fourth set to put away the Cougars and claim an 18-25, 25-23, 25-14, 25-18 win.
 
Gem Grimshaw hit .341 with 17 kills, nine digs and five blocks to power Temple to its first win in the American Volleyball Championship. Kayla Spells added 11 kills and six blocks and Tyler Lindgren registered 49 assists and 14 digs.

Kortlyn Henderson led Houston with 19 kills and a .395 hitting percentage. Annie Cooke chipped in 49 assists and 21 digs for the Cougars.
 
2020 American Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Championship
April 2-3, 2021
Fifth Third Arena 
Cincinnati, Ohio

Semifinals - Friday, April 2
No. 1 UCF (East) 3, No. 2 Tulane (West) 2 (19-25, 25-21, 26-24, 22-25, 15-9)
No. 2 Temple (East) 3, No. 1 Houston (West) 1 (18-15, 25-23, 25-14, 25-18)

Final - Saturday, April 3
No. 1 UCF (East) vs. No. 2 Temple (East) – 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT (ESPN+)